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(01/28/00 10:00am)
It's no fantasia. Fine Arts Department Undergraduate Chairwoman Julie Saecker-Schneider is heading a nationwide search to find a full-time junior professor who will teach Ivy League cartooning. "We're interested in creators," said Saecker-Schneider, describing the ideal candidate for the animation professorship. "The person we hope to hire will be trained in traditional animation and digital animation." The new position is one of three tenure-track appointments that the Fine Arts Department hopes to make by early April. The department is also recruiting two junior faculty members to teach painting and sculpture classes. According to Saecker-Schneider, the new animation professor will teach introductory courses to undergraduates, taking students through the production process from basic storyboarding to actual character drawing. The professor will also be affiliated with the interdisciplinary Digital Media Design program and will integrate three-dimensional computer imaging with more traditional, hand-drawn techniques. Although Penn has offered animation classes before, the Fine Arts Department has never had a full-time professor in the subject. In the past, either part-time instructors were used or the course was simply not offered despite huge student interest. "We had to cancel two [animation] courses because we couldn't find an instructor," Saecker-Schneider said. "And every one we've had has been packed." According to Dan McLaughlin, an animation professor at the University of California at Los Angeles' film school, the academic field has also grown in recent years. "It's no longer Saturday morning cartoons," he said, pointing out that animation professors have their own academic conferences and professional specialties. "We give papers on The Simpsons, z-axis animation and early sound in film." Even Disney has hired academics to teach its animation. Walt Disney Archive Director Dave Smith said the studio has brought in animation professors to help its artists develop their technique. "[Animation professors] can look at cartoons, look at action, look at draping and speak from an artistic point of view," Smith said. But hiring an animation professor is far from Mickey Mouse. While candidates must hold a Master's of Fine Arts degree and have advanced computer programming knowledge, Saecker-Schneider said that they are also looking for someone with production experience. Unlike most faculty searches, the Fine Arts Department has sent out a general casting call to Hollywood, as well as the country's top art schools. Besides placing advertisements in national publications such as The Chronicle of Higher Education, Saecker-Schneider said the search committee has contacted animators at major studios like Pixar and Industrial Light and Magic. "Having feature film experience would be wonderful," she said, although she noted that it would be more likely to get someone who has done work on shorter, animated films. "Maybe we'll get someone who has worked on television shows like The Simpsons or Futurama." The chance of attracting a big-name animator to Penn, though, remains slim. "We can't compete pricewise," Saecker-Schneider conceded. "The demand out in the real world is so great and the pay is so good that why would [someone] want to teach a class." "And Penn versus the Academy Awards," she later added. "Which would you choose?"
(01/24/00 10:00am)
CUE will vote on the new interdisciplinary courses in February. The Committee on Undergraduate Education has whipped up a list of new courses for the pilot curriculum with enough interesting combinations of academic ingredients to make even a tub of Ben and Jerry's ice cream look plain. According to College of Arts and Sciences Dean Richard Beeman, CUE is in the final stages of its plans to launch seven interdisciplinary courses that will link together subjects as diverse as astrophysics and linguistics; cognitive neuroscience and law; and art history and engineering. "I am very excited about the content and conception of the seven courses the faculty has created," Beeman said. "We're right on schedule, but in the process of creating an administrative structure to go forward." Although CUE has intensely discussed the new courses, the College's chief academic policy-making body is waiting to discuss the classes with the undergraduate and department heads before it decides whether to approve them in early February. CUE is also still receiving course proposals submitted by School of Arts and Sciences faculty members, Assistant College Dean for Academic Affairs Kent Peterman said. The establishment of new courses follows the SAS faculty's December decision to test the experimental requirements next fall on groups of 200 randomly selected incoming freshmen over the next five years. The pilot curriculum reduces the current General Requirement of 10 narrowly focused courses to classes in four broad-based categories. SAS faculty members will vote on whether to expand the program to the entire College in 2005. According to Peterman, all seven of the interdisciplinary courses will be team-taught by groups of faculty -- experts in a wide range of subject matters. "None of us could sit down and spin a list of courses like this," Peterman said. "The pilot [curriculum] has been instrumental in getting faculty to think in ways they haven't thought before." About 50 students are expected to participate in each course, which will include both a lecture and recitation led by a standing faculty member. During the first year, enrollment will be restricted to the freshmen members of the pilot curriculum test group so that CUE can evaluate the new program's impact. "It's not a freshman versus upperclassman matter," explained Philosophy Professor Paul Guyer, a CUE member who will teach one of the courses next spring. "It's a question of experimental design." However, administration officials say they may open the courses up to students other than the freshmen in the future. "If these turn out to be great courses, students will start banging at our door and asking to take them," Peterman said. "And it will be hard to say, 'No.'" During the fall, four of the seven courses will be offered. Psychology Professor Martha Farah, Law Professor Stephen Morse and Philosophy Professor Richard Samuels will lead a course on cognitive neuroscience that will satisfy the "Science, Culture and Society" component of the pilot curriculum. "The basic idea is to first consider the different way people have grappled with the brain," Farah said, adding that the course will combine philosophy and cognitive neuroscience to look at the relationship between brain and mind. In the only course that fulfills the "Earth, Science and Life" sector of the pilot curriculum, Astrophysics Professor David Koerner will join faculty from the Anthropology, Biology and Linguistics departments to examine whether extra-terrestrial life really exists and how humans could communicate with beings from other planets. History Professor Lee Cassanelli, Management Professor Mauro Guillen and Anthropology Professor Brian Spooner will teach a course that explores the historical and cultural roots of globalization as well as its current business implications. That course will fall into the "Human Structures and Value" category of the experimental curriculum. And Chinese and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Professor Tina Lu will join Art History Professor Susan Sidlauskas and a professor from the German Department to teach a course that explores the self-portrait in art and literature. That course will fulfill the "Imagination, Representation and Reality" sector. In the spring semester, Art History Professor David Brownlee, Architecture Professor David DeLong and Art History professors Holly Pittman and Renata Holod will offer another course in the IRR category. Brownlee said his class on the built environment will look at both the aesthetic and functional characteristics of buildings, using Philadelphia as its model. Also in the spring, Guyer, History Professor Sheldon Hackney and faculty from the Political Science and Economics departments will lead a course that explores a theory of freedom from a variety of perspectives. And Anthropology Professor Alan Mann will teach a course on biology, language and culture with faculty from those disciplines. In addition to approving the new courses, CUE is currently forming committees of SAS faculty, administrators and students to further develop the pilot curriculum as well as evaluate its academic impact. The committee also expects to appoint a SAS faculty member as the pilot curriculum director in the coming weeks.
(01/21/00 10:00am)
The Econ Department is recruiting five new profs to teach next year. Economics Department Chairman Ken Wolpin understands all too well the laws of supply and demand. Too many undergraduates interested in taking Economics classes -- and a shortage of faculty to teach them -- have placed Wolpin on a mission to hire five new professors. "We are limited by the number of faculty we have and that's limiting the number of courses we are offering," he said. "As we increase the faculty, we will add new courses." According to Wolpin, the Economics Department is currently recruiting three senior faculty members as well as two assistant professors. "We are hopeful to hire three senior [faculty] before the end of this semester," he said. But while College of Arts and Sciences Dean Richard Beeman was also hopeful that the department would meet its target date, he was less optimistic. "The likelihood of [filling] all five positions is relatively low," Beeman said, pointing out the difficulty of securing top senior faculty with both strong, theoretical knowledge and practical, real-world experience. "This is a top-10 Economics Department and the competition is intense." According to Wolpin, the department is heavily into the interview stage of the recruitment process. Within the next few weeks, 11 junior faculty candidates and four prospective senior faculty members will visit campus. At this point, though, no formal offers have been extended. The authorization for the new faculty hirings falls in line with the School of Arts and Sciences' strategic plan. Released last spring, the plan calls for an increase in the number of Economics professors and an extension of the department's research impact. It also comes at a time when many Economics majors are complaining that required intermediate-level courses are too large and that too few sections are offered. "They seem to be very crowded," said College sophomore Mike Lorelli, an Economics major. "There are a ton of people in them." "The department is trying to be accommodating but there are just not enough classes and big rooms," added College junior Debby Korney, who is also majoring in Econ. And non-majors complained that enrolling in popular courses, such as Economics 136: Law and Economics, was nearly impossible. Wolpin admitted that the department had underestimated the number of students interested in Economics courses this semester, but he pointed out that the department has tried to rectify that problem. "We added courses [yesterday] because we realized that we hit the limit," he said, pointing out that new sections were created in two intermediate-level courses.
(01/19/00 10:00am)
Freezing temperatures caused some heating problems in both HRS and off-campus housing. Even North Face couldn't help College sophomore Graham Lyles weather the North Pole-like temperatures and piercing gusts of wind that swept across Penn's campus yesterday. "It was miserable. I had to walk to David Rittenhouse Laboratory at nine this morning," said Lyles, who was bundled up in a double-layered parka, fleece hat and waterproof gloves. "My face hurt. My eyes hurt. It was pretty painful. Already sick with a wintertime cold, College senior Joanna Czekajewski, had similar complaints about the freezing weather. "I am layered up and taking NyQuil, DayQuil, orange juice and just waiting for this to end," she said. "I need to go on spring break." Temperatures in Philadelphia dropped into single digits yesterday morning with wind chills falling near zero or below zero, producing a bitter reality check for Penn students who have experienced an otherwise mild winter. Even when the sun poked through in early afternoon, temperatures on Tuesday barely rose above the teens with brisk winds pushing the wind-chill factor well below zero. "It is the first genuine day of winter that we've had this year in the region," said Bill Gartner, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in State College, Pa. "Temperatures this cold make it dangerous to stay outside for long periods of time." However, most Penn students and faculty, who had no choice but to attend their first classes of the semester, ventured outside -- grinning and bearing the arctic temperatures and winds. Though not before they layered themselves in their warmest clothes and hurried along Locust Walk, rushing into the warmer confines of the classroom. "I look like a refugee with a scarf over my head, and I'm walking very quickly," said Meg Jewell, a research manager in the Opthamology Department. Decked out in a long wool coat, scarf and sweater, wind-burned Engineering senior Betsy Hamme was chilled-out enough. "It's freezing cold out here," she complained. "I just wanted to crawl back into bed. My room is nice and warm." But some Penn students didn't have that luxury, as the cold weather caused heating units in a number of off-campus rental properties to shut off. College senior Ali Olshewitz said that when the heat in her apartment did not work for almost two days, she and her roommates were forced to vacate the freezing building and sleep over at their friends' places. "What made it so unbearable was that it felt like it was negative 10 degrees," she said. "One of my roomates left a glass of water and it was frozen. Our toothpaste was frozen, our mouthwash was frozen and you could see your breath inside the apartment." Campus Apartments President Dave Adelman confirmed that some of their properties did lose heat for around four to six hours yesterday when computerized thermostats malfunctioned. "When you get to 12 below, it's a shock to any system," Adelman said. "This is extreme cold that we haven't seen in two to five seasons." On campus, the cold weather left residents of Harrison College House shivering in the shower when a steam pipe burst early Monday morning, Faculty Master John Richetti said. The weather also prompted Philadelphia to implement its Code Blue program, which puts extra police officers and social workers on the street to encourage the homeless to go to shelters, city spokesman Ken Snyder said. However, the cold weather hasn't been bad news for everyone. According to Eastern Mountain Sports Assistant Manager John Clark, sales at the campus outdoor sporting gear store in Sansom Common have spiked over the past few days as students who left their gloves and hats at home attempted to purchase new ones. "Everyone is picking over what we have left," Clark said. "People were frustrated because they couldn't find scarfs, headbands and earmuffs -- which we've been sold out of for days." While the freezing temperatures forced many freshmen girls rushing sororities to walk quickly from house to house, it didn't put a damper on Engineering freshman Jen Portland's rush experience. "I like it. I like the cold," she said. According to the weather service, temperatures are expected to rise through midweek but remain below 40 degrees. Another arctic cold front is pushing out of central Canada and coming this way. Today will be mostly cloudy with scattered snow showers or flurries in most locations. Highs will average in the low 30s. Daily Pennsylvanian staff writers Joshua Liez and Michael Sonsino and the Associated Press contributed to this article.
(01/18/00 10:00am)
Various officials will have to review the proposal to cancel classes for King's birthday. Classrooms at Harvard University were empty yesterday in observance of Martin Luther King Day. Brown and Columbia universities were closed to mark the holiday as well. But at Penn, it was business as usual as students made their way to their first classes of the semester. However, if University President Judith Rodin gets her way, next year Penn professors will not hold class on Martin Luther King Day -- a proposal that has garnered support from many student leaders, faculty and staff. At a breakfast sponsored by University minority groups to honor the civil rights leader's legacy, Rodin announced that she will ask Penn's academic leadership to make King's birthday an official school holiday. "There is much more that we can do as individuals, as neighbors, as a University to push Dr. King's vision," Rodin said to the more than 100 in attendance at DuBois College House. "I am going to ask the Faculty University Planning Committee, [which] is responsible for developing the University calendar, to make Dr. King's birthday a University holiday," she added, eliciting a loud burst of applause from the crowd. Later in the day, Rodin repeated the announcement at a luncheon attended by members of the African-American Association of Administrators, Faculty and Staff, where she received a similarly favorable response. Although Rodin said she anticipates favorable support from Penn's academic leadership, University spokesman Ken Wildes noted that the proposal must also be reviewed by the University Secretary's office for compliance with Penn's bylaws and discussed with University Trustees. The University's academic calendar is typically set five years in advance. If approved, the holiday would be Penn's only three-day weekend of the year. United Minorities Council President Jerome Byam said he remained "cautiously optimistic" about Rodin's announcement. "I really commend the President for making such a move. It's about time," the College junior said. But he added that Rodin "only said she would recommend it; it hasn't been implemented and nothing has been set in stone." Rodin's decision to support making Martin Luther King Day an official school holiday marks a major shift in the University's attitude toward celebrating the occasion. Although the University's current policy allows students to miss class to observe King's birthday without academic penalty, the University has officially remained open. Sponsoring a series of events and engaging in meaningful classroom discussion, University officials argued, was the appropriate way to honor an ardent supporter of education like King. However, while many activities honoring King were scheduled during the morning and evening, some students and faculty complained that class conflicts with events did not enable them to fully participate in the celebration. "It is a very appropriate step to celebrate the legacy of Dr. King by canceling class like virtually every other university does and allow students to take full advantage of programs," said Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Michael Silver, a College senior, who said he believed attendance at yesterday's events was hurt by student concerns over missing the first day of classes. "The UA collaborating with the United Minorities Council and minority umbrella groups will definitely push to make sure that students will not have class on Martin Luther King Day, " he said. Added College senior Richard Adzei, a member of the Martin Luther King Executive Planning Committee: "I've waited four years and I'm so happy to hear that the University's finally going to recognize this day." Peer institutions like Harvard, Columbia and Brown all cancelled classes for MLK day. Dartmouth altered its schedule so that most classes did not meet. And Princeton and Yale, like Penn, remained open.
(01/17/00 10:00am)
Althea Kratz Hottel, who helped chart the course of women's education at Penn as the school's first dean of women, died of congestive heart failure on January 6. She was 92. In her 45-year relationship with the University, Hottel was known as a dedicated scholar, a vigorous advocate for gender and racial equality and a role model to countless Penn alumnae. According to University President Judith Rodin, a College of Women alumnua who became the first woman to head an Ivy League university in 1994, Hottel led the way for women in academia. "I have the greatest respect for the late Dr. Hottel, as a fellow social scientist and pioneering woman in higher education," Rodin said in a statement. "Penn was enriched by her contributions and her presence." Hottel began her academic career at Penn in 1929, earning her bachelor's degree in education. Although after graduation she became a teacher and hospital social worker, Hottel returned to the University in 1934 to receive her master's degree and doctorate in sociology in 1940. "She was extremely active in women's issues," recalled longtime friend Paul Riale, a 1951 Wharton alumnus. "She wrote her dissertation on the incarceration of women in the early 1920s." Quickly moving up the academic ranks, Hottel became a well-respected sociology lecturer and wrote numerous journal articles as well as the book How Fare Women? In 1936, she was named the University's first dean of women. During her 23-year tenure as dean, she also assumed prominent leadership positions as president of the Pennsylvania Association of Deans of Women and as national president of the American Association of University Women, where she led the fight to eliminate racial discrimination in that organization. Upon her retirement in 1959, the University established the "Althea K. Hottel Award," one of the first honors given among senior women on Ivy Day. She was also recognized that year with an honorary doctorate and an appointment to Penn's Board of Trustees. Hottel also made significant contributions outside the University. Named by President Dwight Eisenhower as the U.S. representative to the United Nations' Social Commission of the Economic and Social Council (UNESCO), Hottel conferred with government and business leaders around the world on problems facing youth and education. She also remained dedicated to a number of local, non-profit organizations -- serving on the boards of the Philadelphia World Affairs Council, Y.W.C.A. and the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania. And as chairwoman of the Philadelphia Commission on Higher Education, she helped establish the Community College of Philadelphia in 1964 and was one of its first trustees. Hottell is survived by a brother-in-law, Benjamin. A memorial service at the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church as well as one on campus are planned for the spring.
(12/14/99 10:00am)
From trips to concerts to a blow-out bash, students plan to party into the 21st century. College sophomore Jaron Jurikson-Rhodes is dreaming about his New Year's Eve plans. A penthouse hotel suite with a spectacular view to watch the ball drop in New York City's Times Square. A bottle of fine white wine. And a supermodel girlfriend to boot. Those are his dreams. This is his reality: "I'm going to the Jersey Shore with a couple of friends and just hanging out," he said. Like Jurikson-Rhodes, most Penn students said they will celebrate New Year's Eve with friends and family -- although more than a few finals-stressed students admitted they couldn't think as far ahead as December 31. But quite a number of University students have already made elaborate Y2K plans. From Montreal to Mexico City, from Las Vegas to London and from South Philly to South Beach, Penn students will be uncorking their champagne bottles in a variety of locations. Wharton sophomore Robert Liebesman said that he plans to "be absolutely hammered" as he celebrates the new year in his hometown of Capetown, South Africa earlier than most. Due to time zone differences, the date will change to 2000 in Capetown seven hours before the ball drops in Times Square. For College freshman Julia Lima, New Year's Eve will be a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of Penn life as she relaxes on the beach with her boyfriend. "I am going to Aruba," she said. "It's an island. It's safe from terrorists. And it's beautiful." Wharton sophomore Jason Shafrin is looking forward to celebrating 2000 in the Middle East, as he will be in Israel during winter vacation on an educational trip sponsored by the Jewish Heritage program. Although he noted that portions of the city typically close on Friday and Saturdays due to the Jewish Sabbath, Shafrin expected that for the millenium, "Jerusalem will be nuts." But College senior Jon Schmerin said that the Big Apple will be where the action is-- especially at his semi-exclusive New Year's Eve bash. According to Schmerin, almost 300 of his friends from Penn and other universities will attend his party at the New York City Fireman's Museum -- just blocks from Times Square. "I wanted to be able to celebrate with all of my friends instead of going to a club," he said, although he is charging a cover fee to recoup his expenses. "This has been my little baby. I have been thinking about it for the past year," he said, noting how he has recently been in close contact with his DJ and alcohol distributor to ensure there is a "shitload of booze." Other Penn students said they plan to celebrate by attending special concerts by their favorite musical artists -- ranging from Metallica to Widespread Panic to Celine Dion. College freshman Daniel Cohen said that he was planning to meet a group of his friends from Penn and high school at a three-day Phish concert in Florida. "They are my favorite band and it will be great to be there with 75,000 other young people," he said, looking especially forward to a special marathon jam-session running from five minutes before midnight on December 31 until sunrise the next day. Still, College sophomore Jennifer Cody said her New Year's Eve will be spent close to home. The Philadelphia native said she and a few friends are going to see G. Love and Special Sauce that night at the Electric Factory. "If you're in Philadelphia, it's the ideal way to celebrate," she said.
(12/02/99 10:00am)
'Tis the season to be congested from coughing, wind-burned from walking and stressed out from studying. But University officials and student leaders have plans this weekend to brighten up those winter woes as they celebrate the season with the third annual Winterfest. The extended weekend events -- organized by the Tangible Change Committee, the Office of Student Life, the Social Planning and Events Committee and the class boards -- feature a number of musical, comedy and dance performances on campus as well as other special holiday programs. "The holiday spirit makes people happy and we are trying to project that attitude on the student body," said Tangible Change Co-Director Theo LeCompte, an Engineering junior. "It makes finals that much less stressful." Winterfest '99 kicks off today with a Kwanzaa celebration and feast at the Newman Center, beginning at 6 p.m. And later tonight, things will heat up at 10 p.m. in McClelland Hall with a Hawaiian December dance party geared for freshmen. But according to organizers, the highlight of the weekend will be two special shows offering Penn students the opportunity to see some of the top national acts and campus performances. On Friday, Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam, the troop that helped launch the careers of comedians Martin Lawrence and Chris Rock, will liven up the Annenberg Center's Zellerbach Theatre at 8 p.m. The show -- sponsored by the Social Planning and Events Committee To Represent Undergraduate Minorities -- will feature minority stand-up acts such as Talent and Dominque and music by well-known DJ Kid Capri, who has performed with top hip-hop artists including Puff Daddy, the Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes. On Saturday, five of Penn's top performing arts groups will usher in the season of giving with a benefit show at 8 p.m. in Irvine Auditorium. Musical comedy troop Mask and Wig will join a cappella singers Off the Beat, improvisational comedy group Without a Net and the dance companies African Rhythms and Onda Latina in the largest community charity event ever sponsored by Penn's performing arts groups. Tickets are being sold for $8 this week on Locust Walk, with proceeds benefiting the West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance's plan to turn the Paul Robeson House into a performing arts center. "There was a lot of potential to have a large-scale event at Penn and go against the common sentiment that Penn students don't really care about the community," said College senior Josh Slatko, who helped coordinate the event as a member of Mask and Wig. Winterfest organizers have also planned a number of other activities to inject a little cheer into the last weekend before finals. On Friday, Locust Walk will be decked with holiday spirit as tables will be set up for students to make menorahs, wreaths and holiday cards. And free apple cider, hot chocolate, gingerbread cookies and candy canes will be distributed to passersby. In addition, there will be a Kwanzaa jazz concert and lunch held at the Veranda at noon. And on Saturday, there will be another Kwanzaa celebration hosted by The Foundation Community Arts Initiative at the Rotunda, where students can listen to storytellers and make unique holiday crafts.
(11/24/99 10:00am)
The Health and Human Services secretary spoke on campus yesterday. U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala stood literally on the front lines of the health care policy debate last night as she discussed the challenges facing modern medicine in the Dunlop Auditorium. The stage where she spoke sat at the heart of the troubled University of Pennsylvania Health System, which posted a $198 million deficit for the last fiscal year that hospital officials blame on decreasing Medicare and private insurance payments. In front of almost 350 Penn students, faculty and medical professionals who attended the forum -- sponsored by the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics -- Shalala refused to allow the government to be blamed for the Heath System's current financial woes. But she did say the government could play a more active role in supporting academic medical centers. "Penn's situation has to do with where it is and what its market looks like," Shalala said, noting that private and federal cost containment has strained research hospital budgets. "But government has a responsibility to both maintain and enrich this network of academic health centers because, for us, they are both on the cutting edge of research and they perform a fundamental role in the training of all the physicians, nurses and Ph.D. students," she added. "One clear way of intervening is to make sure we pay properly for the additional cost of academic health centers." Since Shalala joined the Clinton cabinet in 1993, she has been responsible for overseeing Health and Human Services' $381 billion budget and is the chief administrator in a wide variety of government programs -- including Medicare, Medicaid, the National Institutes of Health and federal and children's welfare programs. Throughout the 1 1/2-hour talk, Shalala -- the longest-serving secretary of Health and Human Services in the department's 19-year history -- fielded a number of questions from the audience. Davis Institute faculty fellows and Penn students asked Shalala to address a a variety of topics -- ranging from the patient's bill of rights to long-term medical care for senior citizens to dealing with the more than 44 million Americans who lack health insurance. "We don't have the politics for universal health care insurance," Shalala said. "And giving people a contribution so they can purchase health insurance doesn't necessarily guarantee them quality health care." She cited research indicating that government subsidies are less likely to induce people in lower income classes to purchase health insurance. Those people, she said, are more likely to prefer putting the extra income toward family activities, such as trips to restaurants and the movies. "I ask people all the time who have incomes under $25,000 what kinds of subsidies we would have to give them to get them to purchase health care," she said. "And I have to tell you, it would almost have to be provided free." Shalala also said that the organ donation system must be reformed so that people in need of organs may receive them -- regardless of the size of their nearest transplant center. "Where you live should not determine whether you live or die," Shalala said, pointing out that those who currently live near smaller transplant centers are less likely to receive a needed organ. "Organs are, in fact, a national resource." Shalala was the third member of the Clinton cabinet to speak at Penn in the past year. Last week, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno gave the keynote address at a Fels Center of Government crime symposium. And former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin delivered the Commencement address in late May.
(11/23/99 10:00am)
Scott Clayton claimed 69th place and Sean Mac Millan finished 122nd at nationals. Penn co-captains Scott Clayton and Sean MacMillan closed out their Penn cross country careers yesterday with impressive performances at the NCAA national championships at Indiana University. Clayton placed 69th in the 254-man field with a time of 31 minutes, 46.10 seconds, while MacMillan finished 122nd at 32:21.40. Both secured spots in the nationals when they posted two of the three top individual scores needed for at-large national berths at the NCAA District II regionals at Lehigh University on November 13. Both Clayton and MacMillan said they got off to a good start as they headed toward the front of the middle group, keeping pace during the opening 5k with runners from Georgetown and Villanova whom they competed against at districts. But in the second half of the race, Clayton pulled away to become the third Ivy League participant to cross the finish line. "[Nationals] was altogether on a different level -- something I was not used to," Clayton said, noting how he had to battle for position among the other elite runners in the tightly packed field. "It was the kind of race where you keep moving because if you fall behind, you'll never catch up," Macmillan added. Arkansas captured the team title with an average time of 30:44.64, with Wisconsin, N.C. State, Stanford and Michigan rounding out the top five finishing teams. South Alabama freshman David Kimani had the fastest time overall (30:06.60). And Paul Morrison was the top finisher from the Ivy League, placing eighth with a time of 32:42.50. Daily Pennsylvanian sports writer Jeremy Dubert contributed to this article.
(11/22/99 10:00am)
Donna Shalala of Health and Human Services will speak at Penn tomorrow. U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala will speak tomorrow at a University forum on the challenges facing health care in the next century. Sponsored by the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, the symposium will take place at 4 p.m. in Stemmler Hall's Dunlop Auditorium, located in the Medical School complex. It will be open to all members of the University community. Shalala will join a diverse group of academic panelists, including Penn Center for Bioethics Director Arthur Caplan, to discuss the future of health care and take questions from the audience. Davis Institute Executive Director David Asch said Shalala, the longest-serving secretary in the Department of Health and Human Services' 19-year history, will offer a unique perspective as a national leader on social and health public policy. "She's about as prominent as you can get amongst leaders in health care," Asch said. He added that Shalala, a college educator before her entrance upon the national political scene, is "interested in interacting with students." Since being appointed to the Clinton cabinet post in 1993, Shalala has been in charge of the department's $381 billion budget and a wide variety of government programs -- including Medicare, Medicaid, the National Institutes of Health and federal welfare and children's programs. Under her leadership as secretary, the department has guided the 1996 welfare reform effort, established new programs to make health insurance available to an estimated 2.5 million children and taken on a variety of initiatives including fighting breast cancer, the use of tobacco by minors and the AIDS epidemic. Before joining the Clinton administration, Shalala was a nationally recognized leader in academia. As chancellor of the University of Wisconsin at Madison from 1987 to 1993, she was the first woman to head a Big 10 university and was named by Business Week as one of the five best managers in public education. An acknowledged scholar of state and local government finance, she holds more than 12 honorary degrees and has been elected to the National Academy of Education, the National Academy of Public Administration and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Shalala is the third member of the Clinton cabinet to speak at Penn in the past year. Last week, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno gave the keynote address at a Fels Center of Government symposium attended by top Philadelphia and University officials on how government, business and community institutions can partner to fight crime. And former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin delivered the Commencement address in late May. Shalala last spoke at the University in April 1996, when she visisted Zellerbach Theatre to discuss women's health care issues as part of a program sponsored by the Trustees Council of Penn Women. The Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics is a University-wide center for health care research, policy analysis and executive education. Founded in 1967, the institute is a cooperative venture among the Wharton School, the School of Medicine, the Dental School and the School of Nursing.
(11/22/99 10:00am)
Low-carb diets have taken the country and campus by storm, but critics say the proof is in the pudding. It sounds more like a fraternity brother's feast than a diet. But some Penn students are claiming that consuming scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast, greasy hot dogs for lunch and juicy steaks for dinner has been their ticket to losing the "Freshman 15." "I did it as a joke in the beginning since I didn't think it would work," said College sophomore Richard Wong, who began the diet in late August. "But I tried it and I lost 15 pounds in the first month and eight pounds in the first two weeks." "It was extremely easy," he added. "I like meat so it was a good diet for me. I didn't have to starve and I was never hungry." College freshman Laura Gross said she lost about five pounds on the plan last spring. "I did it for a little while and I did lose weight pretty fast," she said, although she gave up after two weeks when she became bored with eating protein all the time. Wong and Gross are joining a growing number of Penn students who have tried the high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets -- often known as Atkin's diets -- attracting nationwide media hype and criticism. Millions of Americans -- including celebrities like Friends star Jennifer Aniston and Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell -- have credited their success in losing weight to these diets. Several books -- ranging from Dr. Atkin's New Diet Revolution and Protein Power to The Zone and Sugar Busters --have also stressed low-carbohydrate diets and are regulars on bestseller lists. The weight-loss programs are based on the idea that people gain weight by eating too much sugar and carbohydrates, which raise the body's insulin level and cause fat storage. Limiting carbohydrates, therefore, causes the body to partially break down body fat, producing organic compounds -- ketones -- as fuel. But Nutrition Professor Ellen Fung said the science behind the low-carbohydrate diets makes little sense. "It's a fad," she said. "It is successful but not a healthy way to lose weight." Though Fung agreed that people generally lose weight rapidly when they first start the diets, she explained that most weight loss occurs because dieters are consuming less food overall -- and not just carbohydrates. "[Dieters] lose the weight because it is low in calories," Fung said, pointing out that most snack foods and desserts are eliminated from their diets. "You don't have the breads, croissants, crackers and chips to munch on. And almost every dessert is high in carbs." One drawback of the diet, according to Fung, is that dieters tend to gain weight as soon as they resume eating carbohydrates. "The women I knew from work who were on it lost a massive amount of weight, but they have gained it all back," College sophomore Anne Kim said. And Penn Dining nutritionist Emily Sherr pointed out that the high-protein diet is also associated with long-term health risks. Eating a high-protein diet may lead to an increased risk of heart disease, some cancers, osteoporosis and kidney problems, she said. Wong noted that he read thoroughly about the diet and consulted his physician before trying the program, and now pays close attention to his cholesterol in addition to his weight. Despite the numerous success stories that students hear from friends, family and co-workers, most Penn students remain skeptical of the high-protein plan. Nursing sophomore Kim Colopinto, for one, said she wouldn't even consider going on the diet. "Your brain needs carbohydrates to function," she said. "To starve my brain is something I'd rather not do." "Carbs are a necessary factor of your diet," College freshman Fred Bergerx added. "The key is moderation. Both Fung and Sherr agreed. The key to losing weight, they said, is to eat a balanced diet, learn healthy eating habits and exercise frequently. Said Fung: "In the long term, you need to learn to eat in our food-toxic society, to go to the fraternity party and know what food to choose and how much to drink."
(11/19/99 10:00am)
It would have been the perfect venue for "The Donald" to officially declare his candidacy for the Reform Party's presidential nomination. And it almost happened. Before a roaring crowd of 1,200 Penn students and a nationwide television audience that tuned in for Donald Trump's appearance on the CNBC talk show Hardball, host Chris Matthews pitched a zinger straight at the celebrity business tycoon. "Are you running for president?" Matthews asked directly. "I am indeed," Trump replied, drawing loud applause from the Irvine Auditorium crowd. But after a long pause, he added, "perhaps." "I only want the nomination if I can win," Trump said later in the show, clarifying his response. "I have to get past the perhaps." Still, the New York real estate developer -- who has a net worth of about $5 billion -- said he is currently building a campaign team and is prepared to personally spend "upwards of $100 million" to finance his campaign. Trump helicoptered into Philadelphia for the program, the first event of Penn's Presidential Speaker Series, with an entourage of about eight political advisers and bodyguards. In an interview after the show, Matthews said he thought Trump would be a viable candidate in the 2000 primary. "It's not the heavyweight division," Matthews said of the Reform Party primary slate, which also contains former CNN commentator and Nixon operative Patrick Buchanan, whom Trump attacked throughout the show with frequent references to Buchanan's alleged anti-Semitism. During the program, Trump also responded to a number of student questions, confidently defining his positions on a variety of controversial issues. Topics ranged from the Cuban embargo, which he favors, to defense spending, which he wants to increase, to gun control, on which Trump -- a gun owner himself -- defended the right to bear arms. But much of the political discussion centered around his recent tax proposal, which calls for a one-time, 14.25 percent net-worth tax on individuals worth more than $10 million. Despite some skepticism from the Ivy League crowd -- which criticized the plan, saying its economics didn't add up -- Trump insisted the additional tax revenue would pay off the $5.7 trillion national debt and therefore eliminate debt interest payments. The savings, he explained, would provide middle class tax cuts and shore up Social Security. "I know about debt. I understand economics," Trump said, pointing to the fact that he rebuilt his business empire after it faced financial hardship in the early 1990s. "And I did well at Wharton and I know when people are going to be incentivized. And they are going to be incentivized to keep their money in this country. Taxes are going to come down." Indeed, Trump was quick to credit his alma mater with his financial success and dating prowess, noting on several occasions the benefits of a Wharton degree. "I could be married in 24 hours if need be," he quipped when Matthews asked if the self-proclaimed "world's greatest playboy" would have a first lady in his White House. "That's what happens when you go to Wharton." Penn students said they enjoyed the lively banter and the opportunity to see the celebrity tycoon -- although most didn't give Trump's tax plan a chance. "It's a bit unrealistic," Wharton senior Kai Chung said. "It's an interesting idea but politically and economically unfeasible." And Matthews said he was pleased with the crowd's enthusiasm and numbers. He noted that the Penn crowd was four times larger than the Harvard audience that showed up for Jesse Ventura on the first stop of Hardball's college tour. "There is a really positive, upbeat spirit here," Matthews said. "I thought that Penn would be too snotty for us, but they were nice. I was surprised."
(11/18/99 10:00am)
The cabinet member and the candidate will speak at separate events. U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno and real estate tycoon and presidential hopeful Donald Trump will speak at the University today in two separate addresses, both geared toward politics. Reno will deliver the 10 a.m. keynote speech at a Fels Center of Government symposium on how government, business and community institutions can partner to fight urban crime. The conference, to be held at the Inn at Penn, will be attended by Fels Center graduate students and about 50 Penn undergraduate winners of a special online ticket lottery. Trump, who recently announced plans to run for the Reform Party's presidential nomination, will appear at Irvine Auditorium today at 4 p.m. for a televised interview on Hardball, the CNBC political talk show hosted by Chris Matthews. The show will air later this evening on CNBC and MSNBC. Engineering junior Theo LeCompte, co-chairperson of the Tangible Change Committee and an organizer of the Trump event, said both speakers should give students a rare chance to see noted public figures in person. "If you watch politics on TV, it feels very distant," LeCompte said. "If you have a chance to see them in person and ask questions, students feel connected." In addition to speaking, Reno will join a panel of noted officials including outgoing Mayor Ed Rendell, Philadelphia Police Commissioner John Timoney and University President Judith Rodin. According to Fels Center Director Lawrence Sherman, a Sociology professor and noted criminologist, Reno's participation in the conference brings national recognition to the efforts of Penn and other Philadelphia institutions in fighting crime. "Reno brings tremendous visibility. [Her presence] helps to put this on the agenda," Sherman said. "Even though violence is on everybody's minds, working together to fight it is not." LeCompte said that as of last night, only 50 tickets for the Trump event remained in the Annenberg Center box office, so organizers expect to fill the 1200-seat venue. An hour before the show, they will hand out approximately 100 more standby tickets to interested students waiting in line. Trump, a 1968 Wharton graduate, will take questions from Matthews and the Penn audience about his plans for the presidency, including his proposal for a one-time 14.25 percent "net-worth" tax on individuals and trusts worth at least $10 million. He announced last week that the additional tax revenue would be used to pay off the national debt, provide a middle class tax cut and keep Social Security afloat. Former Republican operative and longtime CNN commentator Patrick Buchanan recently withdrew from the Republican Party and is likely to also seek the Reform nomination. Trump has the support of Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, the party's highest-ranking elected official. Buchanan is thought to be supported by party founder Ross Perot. Nationally recognized political speakers have been a fixture on campus in recent years. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was brought to campus this semester by Connaissance. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin and former President Jimmy Carter were speakers at the last two Commencement ceremonies. And in 1996, President Bill Clinton spoke to a jam-packed, 15,000-person crowd at Hill Field in his second campaign for the Democratic Party presidential nomination.
(11/17/99 10:00am)
They may not be as exciting as a Michael Jordan fast break or as thrilling as a Geoff Owens rejection. And they definitely won't come close to the excitement of a victory over Princeton. But the numerous promotions and special events Penn Athletic Department officials have planned are sure to rock college basketball's most historic arena. According to Assistant Promotions Director Adam Magnus, the Athletic Department hopes to build on the Quakers hoops fans' enthusiasm from last season's Ivy League championship. "There will be far more promotions and contests this year than ever before," Magnus said. "The level of play on the court will be extremely high and we will try to get as many people as possible in the stands to enjoy it." Among the events: The Chili's Fraternity Challenge At halftime of each home game, two fraternities will compete in a halftime three-point shootout. Four members from each fraternity's team will have one minute to sink as many treys as possible. The two fraternity teams that score the most points will face off in a championship round during halftime of the Princeton game, with the winning team earning dinner for its entire house at Chili's. The Susquehanna Shootout Also during halftime of each home game, three randomly chosen Penn hoops fans will get a chance to win up to $10,000 from Susquehanna Investments. If they make a three-point shot, they will receive a $100 gift certificate to the Penn Bookstore. Those who make the three-pointer will have the opportunity to launch one shot from half-court for the big money prize. First Union Scoring Competition One Penn fan at each home game will have the opportunity to win $5,000 from First Union bank if they can make four shots in 30 seconds. Participants must make a lay-up, free throw, three-pointer and half-court shot to win the money. US Airways Night at the Palestra At one home game this season, Penn fans will be given a blank sheet of US Airways stationery to craft their own aerodynamic entry in a halftime paper airplane competition. The person whose plane makes it closest to a target at center court will get a free round-trip ticket courtesy of the airline. Panhel Night at the Palestra Penn sorority sisters will be involved in selling tickets to the March 3 basketball game against Brown, with a portion of the ticket proceeds going to charity. And at halftime of that game, a special tug-of-war competition between members of different sororities will take place. · In addition, Magnus said there are a few events still in the works -- including two theme nights which have not yet been determined. At every home game, First Union Bank and The Philadelphia Inquirer will sponsor a raffle in which approximately 10 lucky Penn fans will win prizes, including T-shirts and gift certificates to local restaurants and businesses. Four times during the season, Penn students will receive raffle tickets in the mail which they can drop off at the Palestra to be eligible for the drawing.
(11/12/99 10:00am)
Students can pick up free tickets for Donald Trump's appearance next Thursday at the Annenberg box office. It won't take much negotiating to see the man who mastered the art of the deal next Thursday. Free tickets for real estate tycoon and presidential hopeful Donald Trump's appearance on the CNBC political talk show Hardball will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis starting Tuesday in the Annenberg Center box office. As part of Hardball's nationwide college tour, host Chris Matthews will interview Trump in front of a live Penn audience at 4 p.m. in the University Museum's Harrison Auditorium. The show will air later that evening on CNBC and MSNBC. According to Theo LeCompte, the co-chairperson of Connaissance and the student coordinator of the Penn Presidential Speakers Series, about 500 audience tickets will be available to those with a PennCard. Each person may pick up a maximum of two tickets. In addition, LeCompte said that a block of about 50 tickets will be reserved especially for Wharton students and will be distributed through Interim Wharton Dean Patrick Harker's office. "Hardball wants to make sure Wharton is well represented," the Engineering junior said. Hardball producers said earlier this week that they chose to interview Trump at Penn since they want to hear what current students think of the 1968 Wharton graduate's plans for seeking the Reform Party presidential nomination. In addition to Matthews' own hard-hitting questions for Trump, the host will entertain about a dozen questions from the audience. The political discussion will likely focus on Trump's plans for a one-time 14.25 percent "net-worth" tax on individuals and trusts worth at least $10 million to pay off the national debt, provide a middle class tax cut and keep Social Security afloat. Former Republican operative and longtime CNN commentator Patrick Buchanan recently withdrew from the Republican Party and is likely to seek the Reform nomination. Trump has the support of Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, the party's highest ranking elected official. However, the conservative Buchanan is thought to be supported by party founder Ross Perot. Trump's appearance -- sponsored by the Provost's Series, Tangible Change Committee and Connaissance -- will mark the first event of the Presidential Speakers Series. Penn is the second stop on Hardball's college tour, which is interviewing a number of presidential hopefuls at colleges and universities across the country. Earlier in the day, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno will participate in an unrelated symposium on campus crime at the Inn at Penn, for which tickets have already been distributed by lottery.
(11/11/99 10:00am)
Jonathan London and Kevin McCaffrey are the Ivy League's version of Beavis and Butthead. Like the MTV cartoon characters, the two WQHS 730 AM student radio disc jockeys and best friends share tasteless stories, make obscene sound effects and improvise comedy sketches which even they sometimes admit "just totally suck." And like the popular animated television program, London and McCaffrey's show, Hung Over, has also attracted a national audience. Although few Penn students know the radio program exists, hundreds of fans from across the country tune in to the College juniors' live broadcast via the Internet each Tuesday night. At 10 p.m., the radio station's soundboard lights up as listeners from as far away as Texas, Virginia and New Jersey call in with requests for songs and comedic skits. The two-hour show integrates alternative and punk music into a storyline that mixes Three Stooges slapstick with Days of Our Lives droll. Each week the two hosts add new twists to the plot. "It reads sort of like a comic book," London said. "We use soundtracks and special effects, explosions and all sorts of stuff to make dramatic stories." London and McCaffrey give voice to over 50 different characters, often switching voices in mid-sentence to allow dialogue between multiple characters. Among their creations are Razorblade, a fiercely competitive African-American inline skating champ; Claude Bonner, a Belgian movie star ^ la Jean-Claude Van Damme; and Randy, a timid 8-year-old or 11-year-old boy, depending on whether the amateur hosts correctly remember his age. While the lack of planning can lead to spontaneous moments, it also causes the show to drag along at times. "It's hard to keep the show consistently funny," London conceded. "Sometimes we're funny and the kids like it. And sometimes we're not funny and they still like it." Funny or not, the show has attracted a loyal, almost cult-like following. "Our fans are borderline fanatical," London said, giving the example of a fan who asked if Razorblade was a real human being. "The listeners know more about the show than we do. It's scary." Not only do listeners call into the program to ask about the status of their favorite characters, they also e-mail the two disc jockeys to ask for autographs and advice. One female listener from Texas even came to Philadelphia to spend her spring break with the duo. And another fan is currently writing a Communications term paper on how to listen to their show. Since the pair began hosting the show during their freshman year, the program has evolved to include more music. In addition to playing the music of their favorite bands -- which include the Mr. T Experience, Green Day and Weezer -- London and McCaffrey invite bands to record songs in their studio, and play some selections on the air. "We've always had the humor element," London explained. "But now the kids come to us to listen to the live music they can't hear anywhere else." The format has proven so successful that WXPN 88.5-FM radio offered the two student hosts a slot in their syndicated line-up. Since last April, London and McCaffrey have hosted a two-hour show beginning at midnight during the first Sunday of each month. The program features their own studio recordings and interviews of up-and-coming alternative and punk acts.
(11/10/99 10:00am)
The possible presidential candidate will appear on 'Hardball' on Nov. 18. Business tycoon, potential presidential candidate and 1968 Wharton graduate Donald Trump will come to Penn next week to tape a special episode of CNBC's political talk show Hardball as part of the show's nationwide college tour. The program -- hosted by journalist Chris Matthews -- will be recorded in the the University Museum's 720-seat Harrison Auditorium next Thursday at 4 p.m. and will air later that evening on CNBC and MSNBC, according to Engineering junior Theo LeCompte and College junior Nishchay Maskay, the co-chairpersons of Connaissance. Tickets will be free to members of the Penn community, though distribution details have not yet been released. According to Hardball producer Phil Griffin, the show chose to interview Trump at Penn because of the University's close association with the celebrity billionaire, who has announced his interest in running for the Reform Party presidential nomination. "Let's face it: Trump is associated with money and business and we want to talk to him about his tax plan and [his] plans to explore the presidency," Griffin said. "Wharton is where he went to school." Trump -- whose son is a Wharton senior -- announced last month that he would explore seeking the nomination of the Reform Party, which is automatically on the ballot in 21 states. Yesterday, he proposed a one-time 14.25 percent "net worth tax" on individuals and trusts worth at least $10 million to pay off the national debt, provide a middle class tax cut and keep Social Security afloat. Former Nixon speechwriter and CNN commentator Patrick Buchanan, who recently withdrew from the Republican Party, is also likely to seek the Reform nomination. Trump has the support of Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, the party's highest-ranking elected official, but Buchanan is thought to be supported by party founder Ross Perot. According to Hardball producers, Matthews -- who is known for his aggressive questions and sharp political insight -- will interview Trump and take about a dozen student questions during the program. "We want business school students to come and talk to this guy," Griffin said. "We want to know what they think about his tax plans and the other issues." Trump's appearance -- sponsored by the Provost's Series, the Tangible Change Committee and Connaissance -- marks the first event of a new Presidential Speakers Series. This new set of programs aims to expose students to presidential politics by bringing campaign officials and individual candidates to campus. Although no specific plans have been made to invite other candidates to campus, University spokesperson Ken Wildes said that Penn will welcome any of the presidential hopefuls. "We are in an election year," Wildes said. "We'd be thrilled to have any of them." The Republican National Convention is scheduled to be held next summer in Philadelphia and officials hope it will give Penn a chance to showcase its professors and encourage candidates to visit the University. Penn is the second stop on Hardball's college tour. The show taped an episode featuring Ventura at Harvard University last October. And Republican presidential candidates George W. Bush and John McCain -- as well as Democratic candidate Bill Bradley -- have agreed to be interviewed by Matthews later this year. U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno will be visiting Penn the same day, November 18, to participate in a symposium hosted by the Fels Center of Government.
(11/10/99 10:00am)
Officials are following a national trend with the new concentration in Internet-related business. When the Industrial Revolution hit big business in the late 19th century, the Wharton School was founded to teach how to lead and innovate in this new, industrial environment. More than a hundred years later, as the Internet Revolution radically alters today's business landscape, Wharton finds itself in a similar role: teaching today's students to manage in an ever-changing high-tech world. With a unanimous voice vote, the business school faculty yesterday officially approved a new concentration in Managing Electronic Commerce, beginning with the MBA Class of 2000. Plans for an undergraduate version of the program are underway, although they are unlikely to be proposed until the spring. "E-commerce is transforming the face of business," said Operations and Information Management Professor Eric Clemons, who will be the assistant director of the program. "Being a stockbroker will never be the same with online trading. Being a travel agent will never be the same with [Priceline.com]. If we don't teach our students how to manage in this new environment, we will doom them to failure." The aim of the new concentration is to teach students to design and implement online marketing and management strategies and to conduct business over the Internet. It will integrate about 35 existing MBA courses offered by the Management, Marketing, OPIM and Public Policy and Management departments. "This was a carefully thought out program," Interim Wharton Dean Patrick Harker said. "Unlike other schools, this one cuts to the whole breadth of issues relating to e-business and e-commerce." Although other business schools -- including Carnegie Mellon University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Northwestern University -- have recently developed e-commerce tracks, Wharton faculty members said their program will be unique. It will leverage the overall strength of its world-renowned professors and departments, as well as already existing Internet-related resources, such as the Wharton Forum in E-Commerce. "It's not just putting old wine in new bottles," Clemons said. "This is something that Wharton does very well although no one knew we were doing it." Students will choose four courses grouped around five suggested tracks -- including electronic media and marketing, entrepreneurial management, information and e-commerce strategy and supply chain management. The idea for an e-commerce concentration had been discussed among students and faculty for months and Harker charged a committee of faculty over the summer to draft a proposal for the e-commerce proposal. After reviewing their plans with MBA students and other faculty, the committee submitted the plan to Wharton's curriculum committee earlier this semester. "Student involvement was very important," said Marketing Department Chairperson David Schmittlein, the director of the concentration. "Faculty talked with students about their interests in the area and asked about what subjects they would like to study." Just three months later, they submitted the proposal at yesterday's meeting. Indeed, few Wharton faculty members can recall another proposal so quickly adopted. But for a move that positions Wharton in the rapidly changing, fast-paced world of information technology, it should come as no surprise. "Every time the nature of business changes, the nature of the curriculum has to change," Clemons said. "And this one is a biggie."
(11/06/99 10:00am)
The Locust Walk Mile is just one of many other events planned. Nothing is quite as sweet as beating Princeton in football -- or in anything for that matter. But University officials and student leaders say this weekend's festivities outside Franklin Field will be almost as satisfying. Organizers from the Alumni Society, the Office of Student Life, Kite and Key, Class Boards and the Tangible Change Committee are teaming up to sponsor a number of activities geared to both students and alumni. "It's an emerging tradition. It's an opportunity to take advantage of what is going on around campus," said Kite and Key president Jenn Brown, pointing to the numerous student groups performing this weekend. "Alumni are interested in what students do." For both alumni and students, the entertainment kicks off Friday with the Penn Glee club's annual fall show in the Prince Theatre at the Annenberg Center. And Mask and Wig's fall show begins at 9:30 in the Iron Gate Theater at 37th and Chestnut streets. Another performance is scheduled for Saturday. For seniors, though, a Quizzo competition and Screamer at Shula's Steaks at the Penn Sheraton will cap off Friday night. On Saturday, the action starts at 9:30 a.m. with the traditional Homecoming Locust Walk Mile, which begins at the southwest corner of 34th and Walnut streets. There is a $5 entry fee and longsleeve T-shirts will be awarded to the top 50 male and female finishers. On the intellectual side, a panel discussion entitled "The Good, Bad, and the Ugly: Possibilities for the American City" will take place in the Terrace room of Logan Hall at 10 a.m. Penn Faculty will also host a talk on 1964 graduate Martin Cruz Smith's book, Havana Bay, at 10:30 a.m. in Van Pelt Library. For students, the Class Boards are sponsoring a free "Kegs and Eggs" pregame breakfast on College Green. According to Junior Class President David Peretz, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the Gold Standard restaurant is providing egg sandwiches, bagels, apple cider and, of course, kegs full of root beer. Student musical groups -- including the Penn Band, Glee Club, Penny Loafers and Counterparts -- will get fans psyched up before the Quakers football team faces Princeton on Franklin Field at 12:30 p.m. After the game, the excitement continues. In addition to a number of social gatherings for alumni of student groups, the Pennsylvania Six-5000 will be performing their annual Homecoming Show at 8:17 in Irvine Auditorium. The Kelly Writers house is presenting an informal evening program of well-known alumni writers and spoken-word performers. And to close out the action-packed weekend, Tangible Change is sponsoring a late-night pancake breakfast at the Class of 1920 Commons dining hall.
